Speak of the Devil
by Winged Knight
Summary: And he shall appear. It might have been a good idea to take those words to heart, Homura.
1. Chapter 1

I looked down at the city of Mitakihara from high above atop the cliff, lounging in my chair. It was something I did most every night, waiting for the morning to begin, waiting to spend another day with Madoka. I would also spend time with Sayaka, Kyouko and Mami, of course. But it was for Madoka, sleeping peacefully in the city below, that I truly waited.

That wasn't something I needed to do anymore, sleeping. I didn't need much of anything, now. My body ran itself perfectly without rest or sustenance, and I did not want to indulge in unnecessary things. It was a waste of time.

And, though I did not like to admit it, a small part of me feared that if I did indulge in the luxury of sleep I would lapse in my duties. That Madoka would awaken to her greater self, and I would lose her again. And that was something I could not allow. Because then Madoka would no longer be happy, she would no longer be safe.

So I sat high above, admiring Mitakihara. Although, in truth, I only half paid attention to it. There was only so much someone could stay distracted by city lights. But it was a way to pass the time, so I did. And in its own way, it was peaceful and relaxing.

It was a shame that other things decided to intrude on my meditations.

"You can still end this, Homura Akemi," came the voice of the small, broken thing at my feet. I looked down at it and sneered. "You can cease your influence on reality and-"

It stopped talking when I slammed my foot down on its back, eliciting a squeal of pain from the creature.

"I did not give you permission to speak, Incubator," I said coldly. I had no sympathy for the monster's ragged appearance. This was everything it deserved. Less, even. "You will be silent unless given permission otherwise."

I didn't need to be more explicit in my threat. The hateful little thing knew what I would do to it. I had made the specifics of our relationship perfectly clear after assuming this latest aspect of my duty. I was the master now, and it was nothing but the lowest of servants.

I briefly wondered how long ago it had been since I had taken hold of the universe and finally made it fair. Had it been yesterday, or perhaps the day before? Had it been a year or a decade, or maybe centuries since I had taken Madoka's power and directed it toward her own protection? I could no longer tell.

But that didn't really matter.

I stood up, hit by a sudden whimsy, and began to dance. I twirled around both my chair and the Incubator, who shivered whenever I came close. I grinned at that, though it was a hollow thing. I didn't derive much pleasure from the creature's torment, not anymore. Rarely were my nights filled with joy as I waited. Only the day brought me comfort, for it was then I could be with Madoka again.

Madoka, her gentle heart shone so brightly. She was so beautiful and so strong, even despite all her insecurities and her shyness. No, it was because she was shy and insecure that her kindness was all the more meaningful.

It was no surprise that she had done what she had, becoming the Law of Cycles. And though I had worked against it, prevented her even now from returning to that position as a universal constant, I could not help but admire the strength it must have taken to step forth into that decision. She had made the choice out of a sense of duty, but it had still been sincere.

But I knew she'd done it only because she'd felt she had to, not because she desired it. And that made all the difference. That justified everything.

"Sayaka Miki called me a demon, once," I said out loud as I danced. "I suppose it fits. After all, who but the Devil would oppose the majesty of God?

I stopped my twirling and set my arms on the back of my chair, resting my head as I turned back toward the city.

"But I'm fine with being Satan, if it means she will be happy."

Laughter boomed from behind me, a deep guffaw that resonated with the steady sound of clapping. I turned around, eyes narrowed and my hand raised to fight. Nothing should have been up here aside from myself and the rodent. I certainly hadn't let any of the people who inhabited my world approach my resting place this night.

The man was tall, and obviously a foreigner. He looked British, or perhaps American, with swept back reddish blonde hair. He was wearing black pants and a coat of the same color. His shirt, however, was white. All of it looked like it was made from fine material, though it was frayed near the edges.

His most prominent feature was the scar across his face, however. It went from his left cheek all the way across his nose and up toward his forehead. It was the only thing that marred otherwise handsome features, though if the man cared about the disfigurement he didn't show it. He exuded confidence and control, of both himself and his surroundings. No, more than confidence. Arrogance. His posture was rife with it as his mirth died down.

"You know," he said in a deep voice that just oozed self-assurance as he ended his applause. "Satan was just a name that got added on later. It means 'adversary.' Fitting, I suppose. Not that I ever really appreciated it. I don't require the whims of others to give meaning to my actions."

"Who are you?" I demanded, drawing my power close and readying it. "How have you come here?"

"This is certainly an interesting universe," the man said, not answering my question. I ground my teeth, but he just went on as if nothing was wrong. He walked toward the cliff, staring down at the city before peering up at the sky. "I wonder. Did Yahweh create it, or did something like him have a hand in this? Or did it come about naturally? I can feel the touch of the Endless here, although that doesn't mean much of anything in and of itself. After all, the Endless are everywhere."

"Are you just going to ignore me?"

"Though something seems to have played merry havoc with Destruction's jurisdiction," he continued, doing just that. "Despair's too. Not that Destruction cares much for his function any more, and from what little I can tell I doubt Despair disapproves of how her purview has been utilized."

"Enough," I said, letting my power leak out into the world around me. It warped and shifted, taking on the manic twinge of a Witch's barrier. The man turned around and cocked an eyebrow at me, not concerned in the least. "You will tell me who you are and how you managed to reach me here. None of my world should have been able to come close to me this night."

"Who I am," the man said. "Is just a wanderer from the void who heard a little girl call herself the Devil, and thus caught my interest. So I thought I might see what this place was all about, and perhaps gain some small measure of entertainment."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"No," he responded. "I suppose it doesn't."

He have a mocking little bow, kneeling down to look me in the eye. There was amusement in his gaze, though for the most part his eyes were simply keen and hard. Like frozen stars burning with cold light.

"I have had many names," he said. "It would take hours to list them all, and honestly they're not all that important. But you may call me Lucifer."


	2. Chapter 2

"Lucifer?" I asked skeptically. "The Devil himself? The Lord of Hell?"

"Not anymore," Lucifer said. He stood up and brushed off his pants. What little mirth he'd shown as he'd introduced himself was gone now, and all that was left was the scowl that seemed a permanent feature on his face. "I wrote off Hell a while back. Gave the key to Dream to do with as he would and left."

I blinked, and the distortions in the air around us died away in my surprise. "Wait… You're Lucifer, and you just left Hell?"

"Of course," he said matter-of-factly. "There was nothing keeping me there, after all. And I grew tired of the farce."

I moved my chair to better face him and sat down, bewildered by this strange man who had approached me this night when none should have been able to. This man who called himself Lucifer, and spoke of strange things I did not understand.

"I don't believe you," I said at last. "I don't know what you are, but I doubt it is the Devil. You're just some anomaly in my world, and I will remove you."

I focused my power on him, to work apart his essence so that he would no longer exist. His presence was a mistake, a snag in my perfect world. I could not allow that. If he continued, he might bring down all I had worked toward. He would be a threat to Madoka's happiness. And that was not something I would ever tolerate.

I pushed my will on to him, and was surprised when it stopped short. It was not as if strength was deflecting me, for there wasn't any. When I pushed my power on to the man who called himself Lucifer, it affected him easily enough. He had dropped to one knee, releasing a snarl of pain as I worked against him. But that was as far as I seemed to be able to go.

I could feel inside him as I pushed. He felt empty… like a vast container that used to be filled to the brim with fire and light. That was gone now, save for a few embers within the enormity that made up his being. But within those last glittering flames was something more, something small and yet at the same time endless. My will met it and was halted, my power rebuffed.

I frowned and pushed harder, and Lucifer's snarl grew fiercer. His feet shaking only the barest fraction, he stood up and walked closer to where I sat. He towered above me, looming like a giant. The lights of Mitakihara created a halo behind him, but rested his face in shadow. All save for his eyes, which shined brighter than the stars in the sky.

"You may destroy me," he said through clenched teeth. "But do not think for an instant you can break me. I will not submit to you."

I stared up at him with wide eyes. How could he stand? I was attempting to unravel everything that made him who he was, to shatter his influence on my world. The pain must have been monstrous, as if every atom was lighting on fire. But still he stood over me, defying my power. How could he do that?

What kind of will is required to hold on like this? I wondered idly as I threw my power in vain against the rock this man had set himself as. What kind of resolve?

The answer came just as whimsically. Infinite will. It would require infinite will to hold himself together when every piece of him was being pulled apart.

I halted my attack and stood up, though he was still so much taller than me, before stepping back. Lucifer, for his part, merely straightened his coat and gave a small snort of derision.

"You are a very rude little girl," he said. "I'll forgive you this just once. Don't make the mistake of testing my patience any further."

"What are you?" I asked. I looked down at the Incubator, who had been silent this whole time because of my instruction. It took my glance as affirmation to speak.

"You are intriguing," the Incubator said. It was only now that I properly understood how much more its kind could perceive. I could do the same, but I lacked understanding for much of it. The monster's knowledge made it useful, though I hated to admit it. "Are you some kind of terraforming system, but on a universal scale? The power requirements for such a thing would be astronomical. But that power source appears to be missing. And why would a terraforming system be made in the shape of a human being?"

"So you can talk," Lucifer said. "I'd prefer if you didn't. Your voice grates on my ears, and I'm having a discussion with the girl who fancies herself emulating me."

He was standing easier now, as if I hadn't just tried to unmake him a few seconds ago. He should have been furious at my assault, but aside from a warning he took the attack as if it was nothing of consequence. I couldn't get a clear bead on this man. What kind of self-assurance was needed to treat the possibility of your end like it was nothing?

I thought again of strength of will without limit and shuddered. Such a creature would be completely inhuman in how it thought, and I was glad that this man did not seem to have his full power at his disposal, that the vast emptiness of his being was not full of fire and light.

"What exactly do you want?" I asked.

Lucifer turned his attention back to me. "Just a little distraction, like I said. I've been wandering the void for a long time and thought your universe might make for a good diversion."

"So you're here to, what, sight-see?"

"Perhaps," Lucifer said. "It all hinges on what I find. I might leave as soon as tomorrow, or as late as next year, depending on how long this place continues to be entertaining."

I mulled over that for a few moments. I could still destroy him, if I had to. But it would take everything I had to tear his form apart while his resolve held him together. In that time would I still be able to keep Madoka from merging back with her greater self, to keep her from becoming the Law of Cycles once again?

It was too much of a risk.

"Fine," I said. "I'll not interfere with that. But I will have conditions."

Lucifer gave a grin that did not reach his eyes. "If they're not too ridiculous I might just agree to them."

His tone made me bristle, but I did not want to give him the satisfaction of seeing my anger. "You will not willfully pursue interaction with Madoka Kaname, Sayaka Miki, Kyouko Sakura, Mami Tomoe or Nagisa Momoe. You will not cause disturbances to the status quo. Lastly, you will you draw the public's attention to the supernatural."

"So you don't want me stomping around and wrecking your little playground," Lucifer said. "Fine. I'll go along for now, but if people seek me out it's up to my own discretion whether or not I answer any questions."

I tensed. That was dangerously close to being in direct conflict with all my conditions. His grin turned into a smirk at my obvious discomfort, and I was tempted to lash out at him again. But I stayed my hand. I couldn't risk that the distraction would endanger Madoka's happiness. And for her I would suffer any indignity, would make a deal with the Devil himself to ensure her pleasant life was not interrupted.

"That is acceptable," I said.

"Good," Lucifer responded. He turned and stood on the edge of the cliff face, staring at the city. "It'll be dawn soon, I think. I'll enjoy a nice sunrise before heading off. Those are almost as good as sunsets, in their own way. Nice to look at."

Lucifer chuckled at his remark, and I got the feeling I was missing some kind of inside joke. But I ignored it and sat back down, looking at the horizon as the sun slowly began to rise. It marked the beginning of a new day. And, grudgingly, I had to admit Lucifer was right.

The sunrise was nice to look at.


	3. Chapter 3

"And that's why a man shouldn't get all wrapped up in how you make breakfast!" Saotome-sensei cried, looking equal parts despondent and fierce. It seems her latest date had, just like all the others, ended terribly. "So girls, don't get involved with men who judge your merit on your cooking!" She looked over at one boy in class and leveled her pointer at him. "Don't you think so, Nakazawa-kun?"

I sighed and looked out the window as Nakazawa nervously stuttered out his agreement. It was just another day at school, which was thankfully approaching its end. I could have sped it up, but I was reluctant to abuse my control over reality too much. Too many discrepancies with the world meant a greater chance for issues to pile up, issues that Madoka might notice before I fixed them. What was important was the illusion of normality. I could settle any problems, of course, but it was easier to let things mostly handle themselves.

The world wanted to run a certain way. I'd found that out soon after I'd taken control. For the most part that was fine with me. I only required a few changes to ensure my universe ran smoothly, and so long as it did I was happy to let everything else sort itself out properly.

Soon enough school ended for the day. I couldn't help but smile as Madoka and I walked outside, Sayaka and Hitomi chattering away. We didn't have any club activities, so we had the afternoon all to ourselves. Mami and Kyouko would not be joining us any time soon, however. While we were free this afternoon, those two did have extracurriculars that required their attention.

"So, what should we do today?" Madoka asked as we made our way from the school.

"I don't have any plans," I said. "Whatever you want is fine with me."

"The arcade!" Sayaka all but shouted. "School took forever to finish! Let's play around for a while! Get something to eat, too. I'm starving!"

"Not too long, though," Hitomi said softly, holding herself in that refined way that came to her so naturally. "There's a report due Friday. You should probably get started today."

Sayaka grimaced. "Ughh. I don't want to think about that right now. History is so boring!"

Madoka and Hitomi laughed at Sayaka's antics, and I allowed myself a small smile as well. It was mostly for appearances sake, of course. I couldn't say I really cared much for Sayaka, not after all the times I'd seen her crash and burn. Her attitude during my capture by the Incubators also didn't help my perception of her. But she was important to Madoka, so I would at least treat her courteously.

Something caught my eye as we made our way through the park near the school. There, sitting down on one of the benches, was Lucifer. The man had a loaf of bread in his hands, and he was tearing off portions to feed to the birds. There were a surprising number of pigeons surrounding him. It was almost a peaceful sight, if it wasn't for the man's rather stony expression. Normally someone would smile while feeding birds, but Lucifer's face was the epitome of neutrality. It was almost as if he were deep in thought on some other matter and simply wanted something to do with his hands.

"Excuse me for a moment," I said. "I'll meet up with you all at the arcade."

"Are you okay, Homura-chan?" Madoka asked. I smiled back at her.

"Yes. There's just something I need to look into right quick."

"Don't take too long!" Sayaka called. "Or we'll eat without you!"

"We'll do no such thing," Hitomi said, playfully shoving Sayaka.

"All right," Madoka said, looking between her friends and me with a nervous expression. "See you soon. Be careful, okay?"

"Of course," I said. "You don't ever need to worry about me, Madoka. I'll be fine."

Madoka nodded and went off with the others, though she glanced over her shoulder back at me. I just smiled and waved. Eventually she nodded and went off with Sayaka pulling on her arm.

My smile faded to a frown, and I turned to Lucifer. He had ceased staring blankly into space and turned to me, one eyebrow arched as if to question what I was doing. In response, I kept my expression stoic as I approached him.

"Feeding birds?" I asked as I came close, startling said birds and scattering them. "You don't seem the type."

"Just something to do while I focus on other things," Lucifer responded, tearing up another chunk and tossing the pieces on the ground.

"What are you even doing here?" I asked.

"Observing the fundamental fabric that makes up your universe," he said. He threw the last of the bread on the ground and wiped his hands together to disperse the crumbs. "I'd gotten a brief glance last night, but I felt it warranted a closer inspection. Frankly, it's a mess."

I couldn't help the twitch of my eye at the criticism, and was surprised at the stab of annoyance I felt. "In what way?"

He gave me a wry look that told me he understood exactly what his words had done. "The basic framework is the same as what I'm used to, with effect following cause being a cornerstone that everything else is set upon. I've issues with that on a personal standpoint, but I'll admit that's not relevant to our conversation." He frowned and looked up at the sky. "What's more important is that several structures in the metaphysical schema of reality seem either greatly altered from what I recognize or almost gutted entirely."

"You're not really answering my question."

"I can't make the explanation much simpler," Lucifer said, looking me in the eye. Even sitting down he was just about equal height to me standing. "It's not my fault if you don't understand the greater workings of the cosmos you appear to be in charge of."

"And you've experience being master of a universe, then?" I asked, not able to keep a bit of heat from entering my voice. This strange man, this person who called himself the Devil… By what right did he have to criticize the perfect world I had created? This world I had made to ensure Madoka's happiness… By what standard did this anomaly judge what I had wrought?

"Yes, actually," he said before standing up. He looked down at me, and I was forced to crane my neck in order to keep eye contact. I was fairly certain he'd done that intentionally just to make things more awkward for me. "So I can speak with some understanding."

He waved a hand through the air, which shimmered as if in a heat haze. Then, with an almost wrenching pull, he brought something down and put it before my eyes.

It was a swirling mass of black fog, oily in its consistency. Flashes of red and violet emerged every few moments, but for the most part it was simply a dark cloud twirling above Lucifer's palm.

It looked very familiar. More to the point, it _felt _familiar. It took me only a second to match the feeling.

It felt like the Wraiths. And, though perhaps to a lesser extent, Witches.

"A mixture of emotional energy," he said. "Though rather base, overall. There's a lot of despair, a good deal of fear and anger. Desire, too. It's all leaking out from the people of this world and not going anywhere, just congealing into a thick mass."

Lucifer pulled his hand away and released the energy back into the atmosphere.

"It makes me wonder just how much the Endless touch this universe," he continued. "Despair and Desire might play their little games, but I wouldn't say they're so irresponsible to just let something like this leak out everywhere. Not without their knowledge, anyway, and I'm almost certain they would be aware of something like this."

I narrowed my eyes. Lucifer was talking about concepts as if they were actual people. He'd done similarly last night, though I had been distracted by his introduction to make much of it.

"Despair?" I asked. "Desire? Are these the 'Endless' you spoke of?"

Lucifer gave me an odd look. "So you don't know about them?"

"No."

"I suppose that figures," he said in a despairing tone, and I had to hold down another flash of irritation. "Well, I've neither the time nor the inclination to tutor you on the movers and shakers of wider reality. But suffice it to say they're seven of the most fundamental aspects of all sentients everywhere."

"Perhaps the Incubators are the cause for the disturbances you've found?" I asked, moving the conversation along. Lucifer hadn't been quite this forthcoming about his knowledge yesterday, and if he was feeling talkative I might be able to get more information out of this odd creature who had invaded my world. "Before I took charge they had set up a complex arrangement to harness the emotional energy of young girls."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed as he mulled that over. "Perhaps that's the case, or partially the case, in any event. But there's more to it. It's almost as if there was something set in this universe's framework, some embodiment of a law that's just not there any more and its making the entire system not function properly."

I tensed up. Had Lucifer figured out what I had done to free Madoka from her duty as the Law of Cycles? I had originally placed the man as an annoying but mostly harmless anomaly, but if he was able to deduce all this despite the work I had done to hide that I'd separated Madoka from her greater self, then he was more dangerous than I had first thought.

I forced myself to relax, to cover up my lapse of composure. It was a wasted effort, over all. Lucifer had seen my reaction, the recognition in his eyes made that obvious. I was beginning to realize that there likely wasn't much Lucifer didn't see if he focused.

"Ah," Lucifer said, understanding dawning on his features. "So you're already aware of that."

"This is not a line of thought you want to continue pursuing," I said with ice in my voice. "You will regret it if you do."

Lucifer's perpetual scowl deepened, and the atmosphere around us seemed to tense as our wills clashed and began to interact with the world around us. If one paid attention you could almost see landscape ripple as if it wasn't quite solid. The threat I was making was obvious to anyone with more than human senses, but Lucifer didn't seem to care. He looked more annoyed by my hostility than intimidated.

I pulled some of my power to myself. Would I need to finish what I had begun last night? Would I have to take the risk and unmake Lucifer, despite that it would require everything I had in the face of his infinite will? There was a chance Madoka could become the Law of Cycles again if I was distracted in the confrontation, but allowing Lucifer to continue investigating might have been just as bad. That was a possible liability, and not one I was sure I could accept.

"Homura-chan?" Madoka called from near by.

Immediately I released what power I had gathered and turned to her. I kept my expression neutral, purging my face of the feelings that had been etched on it for the last several minutes.

Madoka wrung her hands a little before approaching us. "You were taking a while," she said timidly. "I was getting worried."

"It's fine," I said before walking over to her, pointedly ignoring Lucifer. "I was just discussing some things with an acquaintance of mine."

"Oh!" Madoka said, looking to Lucifer. She gave him a short bow. "Hello! I'm Kaname Madoka. It's a pleasure to meet you…"

"You may call me Morgenstern," Lucifer said. "I've been addressed that way before, and it's as good as any other name."

"I'm happy to meet you, Morgenstern-san!" Madoka said with a smile and bowed again, though it was obvious she was still shy around this person she'd never met before.

Lucifer, for his part, gave a slight bow back. "And to you, young lady. It's nice to see someone with some manners. I've been lacking in good social graces amongst the company I've been keeping."

… Was that an insult? More to the point, he was certainly one to talk about manners.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Madoka said. She turned to me and smiled. "But I'm sure Homura-chan has been nicer to you. She's a good girl."

Lucifer no doubt had something he considered clever to say in response to that, but I didn't give him the chance. I grabbed Madoka's hand and walked away, all but dragging her after me. She protested the impoliteness of the action, but I didn't let up. I kept walking till I could no longer feel Lucifer's eyes on my back, and it was only once we were several blocks away that I lessened the pace.

"Homura-chan!" Madoka said as she took back her hand. "It's rude to just leave a conversation without saying goodbye."

"Morgenstern doesn't care much about that," I responded. "You should stay away from him, Madoka. He's not a pleasant person."

"He didn't seem that bad," Madoka said softly.

"Trust me," I said. "It's best to avoid him. The more you get to know him the more he grates on you."

"If you say so," Madoka responded. She looked like she was going to say more, but the arcade came into view and in just a few minutes we had enough distractions around us that, hopefully, Lucifer left her mind. Sayaka was already in the midst of one of the dancing games, with Hitomi watching on. Both greeted us as we approached. In no time Madoka was distracted by the games and food that often made up a normal middle school girl's after class activities.

I only hoped that things stayed that way. I hoped they stayed that way forever.


	4. Chapter 4

Lucifer looked upon at the city from atop the roof of the building he'd made his perch, peering down into the lights as night came in. He did not show any pleasure with the million points of luminescence, but neither did he show any displeasure. His face was neutral, kept in a slight frown as if he was in deep thought.

Truthfully, however, this was how his expression always was, save during the few instances the angel had allowed himself to give in to rage. Lucifer was not one to reveal his deeper intentions so plainly on his face. His thoughts, as with everything else about him, were his and his alone. He would not surrender them so easily.

A noise on the roof drew his attention. With an annoyed sigh Lucifer glanced to the side. There, amongst the darkness, was a crude, animated figure of a woman that looked as if it was made out of paper. It chittered something illegibly and danced around, pointing at Lucifer and laughing.

More joined it, dancing and twirling around the rooftop. Their eyes, far too large even for their comically monstrous faces, flashed with green and crimson light. The figures laughed as they danced, filling what had once been a quiet evening with the sounds of their madness. The air warped as they moved about, reality fraying at the edges in response to chaos that was going on atop the building.

Lucifer gave a little snort at their presence and turned back to the city below. "I suggest you leave. I've no inclination to humor you all this night." He waved a hand lazily over his shoulder. "Go bother your mistress. I'm sure she'll be more amenable to your foolishness."

One of the figures, a woman in a black dress with blonde hair, pulled a tomato from somewhere and threw it at Lucifer. The vegetable combusted in midair before it came within even one foot of the angel. Lucifer turned to the figure, his frown deepening to a scowl. The blonde woman immediately burst into flame. She shrieked as the fire consumed her, an awful, discordant sound that overtook the laughter of her compatriots. And then she was gone, leaving nothing but a pile of dust.

The laughter ceased, and all the figures stopped dancing. They looked down at the ashes of where their comrade used to be with even wider eyes. Then they turned to Lucifer, who was still scowling.

"No second warnings," Lucifer said. "Leave."

The figures disappeared as one. With their departure the warped space also vanished, leaving the night as it had been before. Lucifer's scowl faded back to his regular neutrality, but he didn't turn back to the city. Instead he looked off into one of the shadows of the roof's corners.

"I'm unsure why you believe my words did not also apply to you," Lucifer said. "I have no desire for company."

The ragged form of the Incubator walked out of its hiding place and approached Lucifer. Its beady red eyes shined a little in the darkness, but it was from the reflected glow of the lights below rather than any kind of inner power.

"My apologies if I have caused you any disturbance," the Incubator said. "I merely wished to discuss some matters with you. I have arranged a brief moment where our conversation will go undetected by Homura Akemi. If you would prefer my departure, I will acquiesce. However, it might be some time before I could once again arrange for privacy."

Lucifer sighed. "Fine. If you've bothered to go through all he effort then I'll give you a few minutes."

"My thanks," the Incubator said. It plodded over closer to Lucifer before sitting down on its haunches. "I and the rest of my kind have been observing you for the last twenty-two hours. You are intriguing to us."

"And your point is?"

The Incubator waved its tail lazily as it continued to speak. "You appear to be in complete control of everything around you on a subatomic level, if only in short range. This leads credence to our running hypothesis that you are some sort of universal terraforming system. Your capabilities are something we Incubators would find very useful with our current problems."

"You mean how the rude little girl has you under her thumb," Lucifer said, getting straight to the point. "I take it you would like my aid in rectifying that issue?"

"We would," the Incubator said. "Homura Akemi's actions have caused dramatic harm to the universe. The systems that we have set in place are not functioning appropriately, and beyond that she has interfered with several natural laws. While things appear to operating stably for the moment, this will not continue to be the case."

"I've noticed that," Lucifer said. "It's what I've been looking into for most of the day, actually. Things here are much different from what I'm used to. All the other issues aside, there appears to be something intrinsic missing that's causing a good deal of everything else to run improperly."

"That would be the Law of Cycles," the Incubator said. "Otherwise known as Madoka Kaname."

"That timid little pink haired girl?" Lucifer raised an eyebrow in question. "She's the representation of a universal concept?"

"Indeed," the Incubator responded. "Namely the concept of the change of Despair to Hope and vice-versa, which means she also touches on the subjects of entropy and the transferal of energy from one form to another."

"And Homura has removed her from that position," Lucifer whispered. He cupped his chin in thought. "That would explain a few things."

"You see now our dilemma," the Incubator said. "Homura Akemi does not care about the bigger picture. She only cares that Madoka Kaname does not return to being the Law of Cycles. Homura Akemi believes herself able to control the issues that have arisen, but these are stopgap measures at best. The harm that has already been done to reality is tremendous, but is as of yet repairable. She must be stopped, and the Law of Cycles placed under the purview of the Incubators, so that we can reverse the damage that has been caused."

"And you think I could make this happen?" Lucifer asked. "In case you hadn't noticed, Homura nearly killed me when we first met. I imagine she only relented because she was afraid of losing her grasp on Madoka."

"You only lack a proper source of power to expand the full range of your abilities," the Incubator said. "While we are uncertain if it would return you to maximum output, we believe if you took in the stagnating grief of this world as fuel you might be able to confront Homura Akemi on a equal footing."

If the Incubator had planned to say anything else, it never got the chance. Lucifer threw his head back and laughed, a deep sound that boomed across the roof. It was a full body laugh, a cackle both amused and mocking in its tone. The angel trembled a little in his mirth, putting his hands on his legs to steady himself.

And then, suddenly, he stopped. Lucifer stood up straight and stared at the Incubator right in the eye. He crossed his arms, all levity drained away from his expression as his typical frown took its place.

"No."

The Incubator waved its tail again, more frantically this time. "Please reconsider. The damage being done to the universe is-"

"Why exactly do you believe I care?" Lucifer said. "This isn't my universe, and I left that one behind in any case. I certainly don't hold enough affection for this one to draw into myself the combined weight of human neuroses."

"Your involvement is the only chance we have seen so far that holds any realistic proposition of success," the Incubator said. "Without it we can do nothing, and the universe will continue to spiral out of control as paradoxes emerge. Those paradoxes will give rise to yet more paradoxes. Eventually everything will collapse in on itself."

"That is not my problem," Lucifer said. "I'm only here for my own entertainment."

"But you will die along with everything else."

"I can leave whenever I wish," Lucifer responded. "Don't presume you have leverage over me. You don't, and any continued attempts to force my hand will end very badly for you."

The Incubator did not respond. Its tail ceased waving, resting lifelessly on the roof behind the creature's body. There was no emotion on its plush face, its eyes wide and unblinking. But even stoic as it was, it seemed as if what little energy remained to the creature was gone now.

Lucifer nodded. "But as thanks for this information, I'll not tell your mistress about your attempted coup. Be grateful for that."

He stepped to the edge of the roof and walked off, disappearing before gravity would have taken hold. All that remained on the roof was the Incubator, staring at where Lucifer had been.

The Incubator stayed there for several minutes, and then it walked away into the shadows to disappear into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

"That was a good movie!" Madoka said as we walked out of the theater together. I could not contain the beating of my heart as she held my hand, but aside from a faint smile I did not make a scene. The last thing I wanted was to ruin this perfect moment with Madoka with an overt display of emotion.

I nodded my head in agreement. "I agree. The music was fantastic, and I love how all the singing blended in with the story."

"I can't say I saw that part with Hanz coming, though," Madoka said. "That was really surprising!"

"There were some hints here and there, now that I think back on it," I responded. "But the writers did a good job hiding his intentions to make the reveal more surprising."

We stopped by an ice cream parlor and picked up some treats before making our way to the park. The evening was cool, and a light breeze swept through the trees to keep it that way. A few stars twinkled in the night's sky despite all the lights of the city, and they were pleasant to look at as we sat down on the park bench to enjoy our ice cream cones.

The evening had gone perfectly. It was Friday, so Madoka could afford to stay out later than usual. Even better, we'd had the entire time to ourselves. Sayaka was busy with Kyouko, and Mami had taken Nagisa to go visit Hitomi. So I could fully enjoy my time with Madoka.

The last three days had gone by rather smoothly. It was a pleasant experience considering how strangely the week had begun. But I'd seen no sign of Lucifer since our discussion on Tuesday. Perhaps he had gotten bored and left? It would only be a good thing if he had gotten his fill of amusement at my expense and moved on from my perfect world. I somehow doubted I would be that lucky where he was concerned. His absence was appreciated none-the-less, however.

I smiled at Madoka as we ate our ice cream. She smiled back, and my heart sped up again. She was so beautiful, her smile so bright. Seeing her happy like this made everything worthwhile. All the pain I'd suffered, the memories and history I'd had to alter… It was all fine so long as she was happy. No indignity was too much so long as Madoka could live her life smiling.

I would do anything for that smile.

"What are you thinking about?" Madoka asked before chomping down the last bit of her ice cream.

"Just about how cute you look in the lamplight," I said, smiling at her.

Madoka blushed, and I could feel some heat in my own cheeks. I was being rather forward here, but we had spent the last several months feeling out this relationship. Or, at least, I was fairly certain it had been months. My sense of time was not the same since I had taken my position as when I'd been mortal.

"Homura-chan!" Madoka cried before covering her face with her hands to hide her embarrassment. "Don't tease me like that."

"I'm not teasing you," I said. I poked her hands and prompted her to look at me. "You're very cute."

"Well," Madoka said, breathing deep and gathering herself. "I think you're really cute too! So there."

My heart was already beating fast, but now it thudded like machinegun fire. Was she… Was this a true return of my feelings, or did Madoka honestly think I was teasing her and was merely teasing me back? I hoped and feared for the first even while I dreaded the latter.

I would never use my influence to make Madoka love me. That was one line I would never cross. Everything else that I'd held as sacrosanct I had tossed aside in the name of ensuring Madoka's happiness, my friend's lives and the world itself taken under my control. But even still the very thought of forcing Madoka's love by using my power upon her made me want to vomit.

So I had to know. Was this the moment? I had to be sure.

"Madoka…" I said slowly, seeking the proper words. "Do you…"

"Has anyone seen my dog?"

I blinked in shock at the sudden interruption, my thoughts going wildly off kilter before I could compose myself. Madoka was looking over my shoulder with wide eyes, so I turned around to see what had startled her.

My mouth fell open at the sight of the young woman who had somehow snuck behind me. She was incredibly pale, which only emphasized her wild hair color of green, red and purple. She was dressed in fishnets, with only a pair of ridiculously small shorts and a jacket truly hiding her modesty. All this, along with her combat boots, made her a truly odd sight to behold.

"I think I lost him somewhere," the girl continued. "Or maybe he turned into a fish… No, no, he was still a dog."

"Who are you?" I demanded, standing and gathering my power in a way Madoka would not notice. Whoever this was had intruded upon me without my knowledge, and that shouldn't have been possible.

But then again, it's not like Lucifer didn't do the same thing all the time. Hopefully I wasn't dealing with anything like him. One such person was bad enough.

"Do you know the name of that thing in plants that makes their leaves green?" the girl asked as she peered into one of the nearby bushes. "I think I knew it once, but it's flown right out of my nose and dug its way into the earth." She blinked and frowned. "Or is it just hiding somewhere in my head? I don't like it when my thoughts hide from me."

"You haven't answered my question," I said, unable to keep the chill from my voice.

"You didn't answer mine!" the pale girl shouted back. "Have you seen my dog? I know he came with me. My big little brother let me take him along, but Dream couldn't get in all the way so I had to go alone!"

Tears formed in the girl's eyes, and she shuddered a little. The bush she stood by started vibrating, and at the edge of hearing I could detect a faint, high-pitched wail. A closer inspection revealed that every one of the leaves on the bush had grown faces, and they were all screaming.

"I didn't want to go alone," the girl whispered as the concrete behind her started to take on the consistency of pudding. "I've been alone for a long time before. It's not fun."

How was she doing this? How could she influence my world in this way? I should have had complete control, but it was as if this girl introduced pure chaos into everything she touched! I narrowed my eyes and forced my will upon the bush and the concrete, forcing them to return to their proper shapes. They did so reluctantly, as if they had wills of their own and resisted my control. But that was impossible, surely.

"And this place is so scary," the girl went on. "It's like me, but not me. It's all sorts of things all broken and mixed together!" She looked at me with mismatched eyes, and I noticed that her long hair had become a buzz cut somehow. "Just like you're one of mine, but not. Are you mad, but pretending not to be? Or are you sane, but pretending to be mad?"

"Be quiet," I growled, my anger making itself plain upon my face. More of the world was trying to shift around this girl, to become something insane, and it was taking more and more effort to restrain her influence.

"But I can still tell," the girl said, looking at me straight in the eyes. "I know what happened to you. How your happiness was broken. How all those wishes became madness." She scrunched up her face. "It… It reminds me of bad things."

"Shut up!" I screamed, trying to block out all her nonsense words. The things she was implying… Could she know my past? But how could she? That was impossible!

The world rippled a little, and I gasped. Was this girl some kind of Witch? That shouldn't have been possible. No Witches could form in my world. Even Wraiths hardly ever took shape any more save when I allowed them to.

"I'm sorry!" the girl cried. She slid down to her knees and covered her face as she wept. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It's just… I'm here without my brother and I've lost my dog and everything reminds me of all the bad times and I can't think of good things anymore because they all come back as nasty little worms that dig through my skull and eat all my joy and I'm sorry!"

The pressure increased, and I almost stumbled where I stood trying to contain the girl's growing effect on her surroundings. There was nothing for it. I was going to have to attack. I'd have to destroy her, or at least drive her off. She was far too dangerous for anything less.

But I never got the chance. Madoka ran straight past me and hugged the crying girl close. The girl, whose hair was now a wavy crimson, hugged Madoka back and wept onto her shoulder. Her tears took the shape of ballerinas that danced their way across Madoka's shoulders before jumping off and falling to their deaths on the concrete below.

"It's okay," Madoka whispered, patting the girl on the back of the head. She made soothing sounds as the girl hiccupped and cried. "It's okay. You don't need to be scared anymore. Whatever you're frightened of, we can help you. So don't cry, all right?"

The girl sniffled a little before visibly relaxing in Madoka's arms. "This is the second time you've hugged me like this," she said softly before resting her chin on Madoka's shoulder, more coherent than she'd been so far the whole evening. "It's nice. It feels so fluffy, even when you're not wearing that pretty dress full of stars."

My eyes shot wide open. She knew! Somehow, someway, this girl knew about Madoka's history as the Law of Cycles. She was going to ruin everything!

I drew as much power as I dared that wouldn't be noticeable and prepared to strike. I would eliminate this anomaly; purge her from my world before she could threaten Madoka's happiness. There could be no mercy, no recourse, for anything that might break the perfect world I had fashioned for her.

A hand fell on my shoulder, stopping me short of attacking. I looked up and saw Lucifer there. He shook his head at me, an obvious warning, before turning to the girl.

He wasn't scowling. In fact, if I hadn't known better I would have said his expression was pitying. That was new. I'd not seen anything but either annoyance or amusement at the expense of others on his face. But right now he looked almost soft, if perhaps fire could ever be considered gentle. What had sparked this dramatic change in character?

He walked over to the girl and knelt down. Madoka looked at him, recognition dawning, before turning her head back to the girl.

"Do you know her, Morgenstern-san?" she asked, rocking gently to keep the bizarre stranger calm.

"I do," he said. He took the odd girl gently from Madoka's arms, helping her to her feet. "Leave her with me. I'll make sure she's taken care of."

"Oh, Mr. Morning Star!" the girl said, suddenly much peppier than she'd been just a few seconds ago. "There you are! I'd wondered where you'd gone."

"I've just been wandering about," he replied. "And found something that looked interesting over this way."

"It's not all that interesting," the girl said. "It's dark and the air tastes like rotten colors."

"Yes," Lucifer said. "I imagine it does." He turned the pale girl around and began walking, gently coaxing her along. "Come, child. Let's find your dog and send you on your way. I doubt you'll find anything here but bad memories."

"Those always taste yucky," the girl said. And then they turned a corner and vanished from sight.

"That was peculiar," Madoka said, standing up. But before she could say anything else I clapped my hands. Madoka's expression grew lax for a moment, and then she perked up again. "Ah, Homura-chan! I'm sorry, I think I spaced out for a bit there."

"It's all right," I replied, ensuring the last few minutes were completely gone from her recollection. The strange girl had revealed too many hints in her blathering. I could not allow the chance that anything she'd said might awaken Madoka back to her place as the Law of Cycles. So, even though it pained me to do it, I pulled those memories from her and sealed them away. "So, we've a few hours before your parents are expecting you home. What do you want to do now?"

"I think I'd like to just sit with you a while, if that's all right," Madoka said. "I'm feeling a little tired."

"That's fine with me," I said as we sat back down on the bench. Madoka leaned on me a little, and I felt all my confusion and anger melt away in the face of her smile. "I'm happy just so long as you're happy, Madoka."


End file.
